NewsClips: Obituary, Raymond F. Haigney

Today’s NewsClip is the obituary of my paternal grandfather, Raymond F. Haigney. Raymond’s sudden and early death from a heart attack removed him from the family picture well before I was born, and until just a few years ago I had not even seen a photo of him.

Coronary disease, sad to say, is a big factor in recent family history — my paternal grandmother also died of a heart attack, as did my father, Peter, at age 59. It being hard to ignore a pretty striking family medical pattern, I thought genealogy research might provide some insights. So I guess you could say that Raymond F. got me into genealogy.

Brooklyn Eagle, Thursday, Nov. 28, 1940, Page 13

Raymond F. Haigney

Raymond F. Haigney, a food inspector for the Department of Health, and a lifelong resident of Brooklyn, died suddenly yesterday at his home, 463 10th St. Funeral services will be held on Friday morning with a solemn requiem mass at St. Thomas Aquinas Church, 9th St. and 4th Ave.

Mr. Haigney, who was 49, was with the Department of Health for 14 years, is survived by his widow, Margaret, five sons, Raymond, Francis, Joseph, Peter and Donald, and five daughters, Catherine, Dorothy, Bernadette, Margaret and Joan.

Burial will be in Holy Cross Cemetery.

Notes: Contrary to what the obituary reports, my grandfather Raymond F. Haigney (25 Aug. 1891-26 Nov. 1940) was not a “lifelong resident of Brooklyn.” Born in Watervliet, N.Y., just north of Albany, he lived in Brooklyn from about 8 years of age. He married Margaret Kelleher (23 Dec. 1893-7 Jan. 1950) on 3 July 1912 at St. Mary Star of the Sea Roman Catholic Church in Brooklyn. (Al Capone got married there, too, six years later. Just a factoid.)